Description
Hearty sausage stuffed butternut squash brings rustic Italian flavors to your autumn dinner table. Savory Italian sausage mingles with roasted squash, creating a comforting meal packed with robust seasonings and warm, satisfying textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables:
- 2 medium or large butternut squash
- 4 ounces (113 grams) fresh spinach
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Protein and Nuts:
- 14 ounces (397 grams) spicy Italian sausage, crumbled
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Seasonings and Dried Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (2 tablespoons for roasting, 1 tablespoon for filling)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Carefully slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise, removing the seeds with a spoon. Drizzle both halves with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Place the squash halves cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 35-45 minutes until the flesh becomes tender and can be easily pierced with a fork.
- While the squash roasts, prepare the filling. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add finely chopped onions and sauté until they develop a light golden caramelization.
- Add ground sausage, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning to the skillet. Break the sausage into small crumbles and cook until it turns completely brown and releases its rich flavors.
- Incorporate fresh spinach leaves into the skillet, stirring until they wilt and integrate with the sausage mixture. Fold in dried cranberries and roughly chopped pecans for added texture and sweetness.
- Remove the roasted squash from the oven. Using a spoon, carefully create a slightly hollowed center, leaving a 1-inch border of squash flesh to maintain the structure.
- Generously fill each squash half with the prepared sausage mixture, ensuring an even distribution of ingredients.
- Return the stuffed squash to the oven for an additional 5-7 minutes to warm through and meld the flavors. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and delicate thyme leaves before serving.
Notes
- Master the art of perfectly roasted butternut squash by ensuring even olive oil coating and strategic seasoning.
- Create a flavor-packed sausage mixture that combines the richness of meat with the brightness of spinach and sweet-tart cranberries.
- Customize your dish by adjusting the sausage type or experimenting with different nuts for added crunch and depth.
- Maximize texture contrast between the creamy squash interior and the hearty, crisp sausage filling.
- Transform a simple autumn vegetable into an impressive, restaurant-quality main course that’s surprisingly easy to prepare.
- Elevate the presentation with a sprinkle of fresh thyme and black pepper for a professional finishing touch.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 530 kcal
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 860mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 26g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 60mg